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Too Many Kids Quit Science Because They Don't Think They're Smart
An anonymous reader writes: Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford, has done years of study on how students' attitudes affect their academic achievements. Her work began at the height of the "self-esteem movement," when parents were told to praise their kids' brainpower at every turn. But Professor Dweck found that praise for intelligence or talent — relatively immutable characteristics — only turned kids off of trying subjects they perceived as difficult, like math and science. Praising effort, perseverance, and problem-solving strategies works better. She also says, "There is such a thing as too much praise, we believe." Instead, she suggests engaging with kids about the process itself, showing interest and encouragement when they talk about how they did something.
There. I said what we're all thinking.
Who the fuck cares.
Nobody is going to give them a job anyways.
Psychology professor proves that parents retarded their children's development by listening to psychology professors. But totally has the right answer this time.
Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
"Too many grown-ups go into politics because they think they are smart"
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
Oh, geez, are we back to "teach self esteem" and "participation trophies"? We need to teach some self-discipline and determination - if we don't teach kids to keep going especially when it seems hard, how are they going to find success as adults? A proper "positive self image" is the result of success. You do the hard things not because you think you're great, but because you don't give up.
What you advocate leads to college grads who don't know what to do when no one hands them a great job at graduation, so they can only complain instead of persevere.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
I'm doing the same with my kid. I grew up in the middle of all this. My parents basically told me I was a genius from the time I was a toddler. The result? I didn't even try. It was all beneath me. I got out of high-school with a C average. Luckily I actually was smart enough to do very well on the ACT after I realized maybe I'd screwed up my grades.
My kid gets praised for effort. Telling someone they are smart is no more beneficial than praising them for being handsome, or tall. It's something they have no control over and cannot improve. So why praise it? Praise something they can control, perseverance.
I don't have any cites. I got a psychology degree years ago, during the "praise everything" movement. And it was known at the time that it didn't work. "You are so smart" said to a child is heard as "everything should be easy because you are already good at it." This was known at the time. The correction is "You are such a good problem solver" where the child hears that they can solve every problem, but must work at it. This has an effect closer to the intended "you are so smart" praise.
This was known 20 years ago, but it's take 20 years for the change to make it to public knowledge.
Learn to love Alaska
Speak roughly to your little boy
and beat him when he sneezes
he only does it to annoy
because he knows it teases.
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D... ]
Every child should read Alice in Wonderland. It's not easy reading, but they will get it. It presents a complex world that is not easy for young Alice, but she has pluck and forges ahead. It is an adventure that requires courage and confidence and a tremendous example for young people- boys and girls.
Challenge your children. Give them Poe, Swift, R.L. Stevenson, quality scifi, etc. Give them fine music & jazz, fine art and the opportunity to create art, give them geography, history, dinosaurs and bioscience. Don't numb their brains with superhero TV & games.
There is more to education than job training. There is life. Give them a head start. Love them.
...omphaloskepsis often...
A wealthy friend of the family once told me: "There are two ways to become wealthy: out smart the other guy. The rest of us out work him."
Most people who are wealthy have wealthy parents. It is overwhelmingly the most common way to become wealthy. Virtually nobody makes it to "the top" solely through hard work. Wealthy people always extol the virtues of hard work, but the truth is that there is no amount of hard work will necessarily make you successful. There are too many people waiting with outstretched hands to take advantage of you, or feet waiting to trip you — mostly to assure that you don't threaten their success in this negative-sum game.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"